Berken 1830 - 1899

Editor: Here we have "Berken," an etching, pencil, and paper drawing by Alexander Schaepkens, created sometime between 1830 and 1899. It's currently held at the Rijksmuseum. The image feels so delicate; it's like a memory half-faded. The artist captured something fleeting. What captures your attention in this piece? Curator: For me, it's that whisper of Romanticism mingling with the bare bones of Realism. It's like the artist wrestled with the raw, unadorned truth of the trees while still succumbing to the era's emotional pull. It's almost a mood, not a scene, do you feel that? Editor: Yes, that feeling comes across. I think what stands out to me the most is the raw nature. Curator: Exactly! I think the rough, almost frenetic, line work in the etching mirrors that. It’s as though Schaepkens isn't just showing us the trees; he's trying to give us the experience of being present with them. Do you sense a similar tension? Like the trees themselves are wrestling to take form on the page? Editor: Now that you point it out, I see that tension you mention. The branches have a dynamic sense of urgency. Curator: Art, at its core, can be alchemical – an experience transformed, a feeling transcribed. I'm particularly drawn to the use of such limited means – pencil and etching – to evoke a complete sensory experience. What will you take away from our dialogue? Editor: That’s true; art is alchemical! Thank you, this dialogue will really influence my view the next time I encounter black-and-white landscape art.